A walk in the park? Why yes, and there are so many to choose
Go take a hike.
That’s a good thing to do any time of the year, but in the winter it can be a beautiful, peaceful thing to do. The colors are more muted in the winter-time and you certainly must bundle up but even if it’s a ride through a county park, its something fun to do. Have you ever thought about how many parks Pennsylvanians have nearby? I’m sure readers will be correcting me and adding some of their favorites but here are some of mine.
Cross Creek Park is beautiful in the winter and still has much to see with its geese, osprey and beavers. Mingo Park is probably the closest county park to me and has nice trails and roadways to visit. A drive through it is very relaxing in the winter as the ice forms on the banks and hillsides. Ten Mile Creek Park is an older park, and you never know what you will see on the way to it.
Peters Lake Park has a nice trail running around it and you can take your dog. Washington Park has trails that lead to interesting things like the fort. Canonsburg Town Park, Boyce Park, Mayview Park and Upper St. Clair Park are great for the kids. Looking the other way is Raccoon Park, where you can walk on the deserted beach or take the trail along the creek. Ryerson Park has been much improved lately and is really a nice little park. If you haven’t been there in a while, you really should go see it for yourself. Ohiopyle is beautiful in the winter and a great place to walk with beautiful views of the falls or Ferncliff. McConnell’s Mills Park is also nearby. How about Laurel Hill State Park with its many streams, the lake and the trails. In winter it is very quiet. Moraine State Park lies right next to Laurel. So many parks to visit one could try a different one each weekend and find a favorite.
Being cooped up all winter is not a lot of fun. With the wide variety of parks close by, there is no reason to stay in the house all winter. Get out, hike around and you might be surprised at what you find. The last visit I took to Mingo Park left me pleasantly surprised to see new improvements up by the telescope viewing area. I hadn’t been up that way in a while, and it is nice to see the new area they opened.
Hillman State Park is in Burgettstown. It is at 914 Kramer Road and has a nice, covered Bridge. Cedar Creek Park is another nice park in Belle Vernon with a great trail along the creek with a train track on the other side. Settlers Cabin Park is located over in Allegheny County just a hop skip and a jump away.
If you want to drive a little farther, maybe make a weekend of it, Pymatuning is beautiful in the winter. The eagles and birds make for spectacular scenery. Go a little farther up the highway and you can visit Lake Erie in winter and Presque Isle State Park. It really has some spectacular scenery, and you must drive out to see if those houseboats are in the cove in winter. Or if the ice fishermen are fishing. All of it is interesting in the wintertime.
These are just a few of the many, many parks in our area. I’m sure you can name a few more. Some of the more remote small ones might be nice to visit in the winter. There is just such a lot of Pennsylvania’s parks to see and now is a nice quiet time to visit.